


Family Bonding

by kuningatarmirka



Series: Family Bonding [1]
Category: Hannibal (TV), The Order (TV 2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Crossover, F/F, F/M, Family Feels, Family Reunions, Magic, Past Rape/Non-con, mentions of child death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-10
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:55:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27479926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kuningatarmirka/pseuds/kuningatarmirka
Summary: Vera thought she had managed to escape her past, until said past was standing right before her.Margot needed a favor and her long lost sister was the only one that could help.An AU where Vera and Margot are sisters who haven't seen each other in years.
Relationships: Alana Bloom/Margot Verger, Hamish Duke/Vera Stone
Series: Family Bonding [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2024146
Comments: 41
Kudos: 49





	1. Surprise?

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so, I made some [gifs of Vera and Margot on Tumblr](https://kuningatarmirka.tumblr.com/post/633977712619438080) and of course my brain started creating stories and scenarios of the two. I asked myself "How could it _actually_ work?" and this is the result. These shows could not be farther apart from each other (I mean psychological horror and campy supernatural college drama? :D). I'm writing this from Vera's perspective so it's mostly like The Order.
> 
> Also, I'm sorry for hurting Vera again :/ I know she deserves the world but this was the only way this made any sense.
> 
> Oh and in this AU Vera got her powers back after Alyssa died! Because this badass Vera needs them.

Vera hurried through the administration building, almost colliding with a couple of other faculty members on her way. One of her meetings had run late again and it was already past noon. She had promised to meet Hamish outside so they could go eat lunch together. Apparently, when he had heard about her not-so-healthy eating habits, he had made it his life mission to make sure she ate a proper meal every day.

She actually felt a little bad for making him wait. She knew that he had another class to teach soon and they would have to hurry. It was just that she had spent the previous evening dealing with the Gnostic Council and had had no time to prepare for her day job. Even after the deaths of Salvador and Alyssa, Praxis was still a threat. There were still members of that organization who were causing havoc and the council wanted them dealt with.

Vera stepped out of the building and made her way down the stairs. She already saw Hamish standing there with a scowl on his face.

“I’m sorry!” she apologized, reaching him. “My meeting took forever.”

Hamish uncrossed his arms, still frowning but Vera saw he was having a hard time staying mad at her.

“You do realize I have to teach a class in an hour?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes, you texted me ten times,” Vera answered. “As the Chancellor I could not leave the meeting early and you know that.”

Hamish nodded, and this time there was a small smile playing on his lips. “Just don’t make this a habit.”

They set off in the direction of the parking lot with the intention of driving a short distance to a restaurant downtown where they’d have a better chance of not running into every student and coworker.

Vera walked beside Hamish, their hands almost touching, and after a small moment, she felt him grasp her hand in his.

Her head shot up in surprise and she turned to him with wide eyes.

Hamish squeezed her hand a little but kept walking calmly, pretending he hadn’t noticed.

Vera had to admit it felt nice – even though she still didn’t like any public displays of affection. Because their relationship wasn’t exactly the most normal one, she was a little afraid of what others might think of them. Hamish on the other hand had told her many times that he didn’t care what anyone said. She just knew that the rumors had already started. She had spent most of her life alone and was seen as the loner at the university. Vera Stone was married to her work and didn’t have time for relationships. So, when there was suddenly a young man waiting for her almost every day, people started talking.

While they walked Hamish started telling her about the knights’ earlier hunt for the Praxis members. He told her how Jack – or Silverback to be precise – had almost ripped someone’s heart out, and how Randall had almost fallen into a ditch while chasing another member. Vera let out a genuine laugh at that, receiving a chuckle from Hamish as well. Vera and Randall still didn’t get along well, so hearing about the wolf’s misfortune was amusing to her.

They were so caught up in their stories that they failed to notice a cyclist approaching them. Luckily the student was fast enough to dodge them in time but still ended up knocking Vera’s bag from her shoulder.

“Shit,” she cursed, reaching for her bag. Sadly, that was the exact moment when someone else collided with her and caused her to stumble forward. Fortunately, Hamish still had a grip on her hand and his fast werewolf instincts helped him pull her up before she fell.

She wobbled, still a little disoriented, but finally got her control back.

For a little moment at least.

“I’m so sorry!” she suddenly heard a woman’s voice apologize. A rather familiar voice at that.

Vera whirled around, her eyes widening in shock.

“Shit,” she repeated.

“Vera?” the woman asked, also in apparent shock.

“What the…” Hamish muttered, his gaze flicking between the two women. The two identical women.

“No, no, no,” Vera shook her head, taking a step back. “You can’t be here.”

“Surprise?” the woman said, cringing a little. “I need to talk to you.”

“No,” Vera shook her head even more, still clearly in shock.

“Can someone please tell me what is going on?” Hamish tried to ask. He kept staring at them both, not knowing what to think.

“She’s my sister,” Vera managed to breathe out. Her head was reeling and she was starting to feel dizzy.

“Hi, I'm Margot Verger,” her sister offered her hand to Hamish who took it reflexively, even though his mind seemed to be somewhere else. Vera couldn’t blame him.

"Hamish Duke," he introduced himself.

“Are you twins?” he then asked, puzzled.

“Oh, no! She’s older,” Margot pointed at Vera, who was standing a few feet away from them, trying to get her breathing under control. “No more twins, thank God,” she continued quietly under her breath.

That was when Vera decided she had to get away.

“Nope! I can’t do this,” she announced. “Not right now, no!”

She turned around and pretty much fled the scene as quickly as she could in her heels. She could hear Hamish call after her, but he was smart enough not to stop her.

Vera had managed to escape her past and she would do anything to make it stay that way.

* * *

Hamish watched Vera run away. He called her a few times but stopped when knew he couldn't make her come back. Seeing her sister had caused her to panic and escape the situation as quickly as possible. Him and Margot were left standing in the middle of the pathway, not knowing what to do or where to go after Vera’s sudden departure.

“She doesn’t want to see me,” Margot sighed, looking down at her feet.

“Oh, believe me, she does,” Hamish replied instinctively. “She just doesn’t take surprises well.”

Of course he couldn't know that for sure but after all the time he had spent with her, he had learned how to read her.

It had been necessary since Vera had always been good at hiding her emotions. The walls around her were usually strong and unyielding, and so far Jack, and Hamish himself, had been the only ones able to break through them. Although he had to admit seeing her panic that badly was concerning. A few words from her sister and she was crumbling down.

“I haven’t seen her in decades,” Margot admitted. “It makes sense that she doesn't want to talk to me. I don't know what I was thinking.”

That information surprised Hamish. Decades? He knew Vera had a lot of secrets and painful memories but not seeing her family for that long was surprising. She hadn't shared a lot with him and it seemed to suggest that there were still things in her past that she hadn't come to terms with.

He debated over his choices but in the end decided the best way to go forward would be to take Vera’s sister to her. Vera could hate him for it but at least she’d have the chance to talk to a member of her family and maybe get some closure.

“Follow me. I know where she is going,” he told Margot.

She looked hesitant, but the glimmer of hope in her eyes told Hamish that she really wanted to talk to her sister. There seemed to be some desperation there as well and Hamish hoped that whatever it was, it wouldn’t cause them any more trouble.

After all they had just managed to dodge one apocalypse and weren't in need of another.

So, he gestured to his right and started leading her towards the Temple.


	2. Play Nice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm writing this with the assumption that Margot is in a better place mentally as she has had a few years to come to terms with what happened to her and she now has her family to help her. Vera on the other hand has been bottling up her pain for decades and still hasn't let anyone really see it, she's only started to slowly open up to a few people but she still has a long way to go.
> 
> Also, I might have made myself cry a little while writing this... just a warning. There is some mentions of past rape and the death of a child in this chapter.

Vera entered the antechamber and immediately headed for the bar. She filled a glass with bourbon, and then gulped half of it in one go. She took the bottle and the glass and made her way through the Temple to the reliquary, slamming the doors shut behind her with her magic.

She placed the bottle and her drink on the table and took off her coat, throwing it haphazardly on one of the chairs. She then rounded the table and sat down in her chair with her hands in her hair.

The initial shock was starting to wear off and she was left shaking. For over 20 years she had managed to hide from her family. The spell she had cast to keep herself hidden had worked, she was sure of it, so why was her sister suddenly there?

She held her head, trying to figure out what had gone wrong, when she heard noises coming from the Temple. She had only just raised her head when Hamish opened the doors – with his hands this time – and ushered Margot in. Her sister was looking around the room with wide eyes.

“What the hell Hamish?” Vera jumped out of her chair. “You can’t bring her here!” she shrieked. She rounded her table until she was standing in front of him.

“You can’t just bring people into the Temple!”

Hamish took a hold of her hands that were trying to shove at him.

“Vera, calm down. She’s here so you can listen to what she has to say. If you really need to, you can wipe her memories later, but I hope you don’t.”

Vera just glared at him, not backing down. Margot was standing to the side, and when she heard his comment about wiping her memories, her eyes widened even more.

“I’m going to go teach that class, and when I come back, I hope you have resolved your issues,” Hamish told Vera, releasing her hands and kissing her quickly.

“Play nice,” he added on his way out of the reliquary.

Vera stood there, staring at the closing doors, a sudden silence filling the air.

“Vera,” Margot started but immediately closed her mouth when Vera raised her hand.

“Don’t, please,” she pleaded. “I’m too sober for this.”

She headed for her desk and drank the rest of the bourbon in her glass before filling it again.

“I’m sorry,” Margot tried this time.

Vera’s gaze snapped to hers. “You’re sorry?” she echoed. “You just _stood_ there and let them kick me out!”

“I was just a kid!” Margot defended herself.

“Well, so was I! And I was _pregnant_.”

Vera turned her back on her, running her fingers through her hair again.

“And I was terrified,” she admitted quietly. “I don’t remember much of the night I got pregnant, other than the fear, but our parents clearly made sure it was my fault, when they decided I was a disgrace.”

She had only been at the party because she had been the eldest and they had tried to keep up appearances. The first few hours had been okay. She had chatted with some of their family's associates, but then something had happened, and the rest of the evening was a big blur of faceless figures, strange voices, and pain.

The nausea she had felt afterwards had felt natural, until she had realized what had really been going on.

“I never blamed you,” Margot told her. Vera heard her move closer and drop her coat on one of the chairs in front of her desk.

“But you never came to see me, either.”

“They wouldn’t have let me. And when I tried to find you, you had vanished. After our parents died, Mason was controlling everything I did."

Vera huffed. “How’s our dear brother?”

“Dead, I’m afraid.”

That got a small reaction out of her, but she was able to mask it quickly. “Good.”

If Margot was the only family member she had left, then maybe she would be okay.

“I understand it now, you know,” Margot continued, “why you disappeared. I had to go through something similar.”

Vera whirled around in shock. “You lost your baby, too?” she asked with a shaking voice.

“Yes, but there’s a bit more to it than-”

Margot didn’t get to finish her sentence, when her arms were suddenly full of a sobbing Vera.

“I’m so sorry,” she hugged her tight. Margot stumbled a little in surprise but still hugged her back.

“Hey, what’s going on?” she asked, pulling back, and helped her sister to sit down on one of the chairs.

“I killed my baby,” Vera sobbed. “It was my fault.”

She wiped at her nose with her hand, not bothering how messy it looked. Margot shook her head, but Vera didn’t let her speak.

“I just didn’t _know_ ,” she continued, more tears running down her cheeks. “I should have known! But then she wasn’t breathing anymore…”

“Hey, it wasn’t your fault.”

“But I killed my own baby.”

“You didn’t-”

“I had to get out," she was rambling now. "I wasn’t welcome home anymore, so I decided I had to start over and never go back.”

Getting a scholarship to Belgrave hadn’t been easy but she had already studied hard before she had gotten pregnant, and after her daughter’s death she had focused on her studies to drown out the pain.

“Did you know that when our father heard about her death, he _laughed_?” Vera sniffed loudly. “She was a girl anyway, so she didn’t matter to him.”

“I… didn’t know,” Margot stammered, but then she scoffed. “Makes sense, though.”

“What?” Vera looked at her.

“Mason probably laughed, too, when he took my baby,” Margot explained quietly.

Vera stared at her horrified. “He took your baby?”

“He took everything,” Margot said and placed a hand on her stomach.

“Oh my God,” Vera breathed out. Even as a child their brother had been horrible, but she hadn’t believed he could do something like that. The apple did not fall far from the tree it seemed.

“I should have done something,” she then whispered to herself. She should have checked how they were doing. She had thought about that a couple of times, but she had been too scared. She could have accidentally broken the spell she had put around herself.

“It’s okay now. He’s gone and I have my family.”

Margot was smiling a little, and Vera couldn’t help but notice the rings she had on her finger.

“You’re married,” she gestured to her sister’s hand.

“Yeah, I have been for a few years,” Margot answered, looking at the engagement ring and wedding band on her finger.

“What is she like?” Vera asked, smiling at her.

Margot's head shot up. “You know?”

“I have never been stupid,” Vera told her, smirking. She was a lot of things but stupid had never been one of them.

“She’s… the best. We have a son.”

“That’s amazing! What’s his name?”

“Morgan,” Margot smiled.

Vera listened to her sister tell her about her life. When Margot got to Alana and Morgan, Vera felt herself start smiling more and the tears in her eyes slowly dried. If someone deserved a happy ending, it was her sister, after everything she had gone through.

“What about your boyfriend?” Margot suddenly asked.

“I _hate_ that word,” was Vera’s automatic answer. It sounded so... juvenile.

Margot laughed out loud. “But he _is_ your boyfriend, isn’t he?”

Vera rolled her eyes. “It was just supposed be sex at first,” she muttered.

At first she hadn't even been able to admit they were in an actual relationship, but when she started spending more nights with him than alone, she could no longer deny it.

“It never is,” her sister smirked. “Maybe you’ll get to have your family, too, one day," she added.

“Hah! I don’t have time for a family. I have my disciples to take care of.”

 _They’re too stupid to take care of themselves_ , Vera added in her head.

“But you still have time,” Margot tried to continue.

Vera opened her mouth to answer but then closed it when she realized she couldn't tell her the truth. The _Fors Factoram_ she had performed would not let her live that long, especially since she could already feel it draining her energy.

So instead she just gave her sister an annoyed look.

“Wasn’t there a reason you’re here?” she tried to change the topic.

Suddenly Margot went quiet, all the mirth disappearing from her tone immediately.

“There is,” she admitted and then looked at Vera straight in the eyes.

“I need you to help us disappear, too.”


	3. Magic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, The Order got cancelled, too... It took me a few days to get over the shock and it still hurts so bad 😭
> 
> At least we know Vera would have gotten her powers back eventually and Vermish would have dominated the world...

“What?”

“I need you to help us disappear.”

Vera stared at Margot, totally confused, but her sister was determined.

“You stayed hidden for so long and no-one was able to find you,” she explained.

“You did. You found me,” Vera reminded her.

“But only now. Three weeks ago, I saw an article mentioning Vera Stone, the Chancellor of Belgrave University, and I got this feeling that it had to be you, even though your name was different. And when I googled you, I saw photos, and well… seeing a face just like my own kind of proved it.”

“Wait, three weeks ago?” Vera suddenly asked.

“Yes.”

Exactly three weeks ago Alyssa had taken her powers and performed the _Fors Factoram_ , and then Midnight had taken the girl's life.

Vera gasped a little, realizing that the spell she had put around herself must have broken when her powers were gone. But did that mean that other spells of hers weren’t working anymore, either? Or was it just the spells she had casted on herself? And now that she had her powers back, were the spells back in effect? She had no idea. Nothing like this had never happened to her before.

“Vera?” Margot tried to get her attention.

Vera’s head shot up and she realized she had just stared at her desk quietly for a while. “Sorry,” she apologized, shaking her head.

“Why would you need to disappear?" she continued after getting her thoughts in order. "And how are you so sure I would be able to help you?”

Margot looked down, and it seemed she was trying to decide what to say. Then she looked up. “There is someone after us,” she explained. “I can’t tell you too much because I don’t want you to be in danger as well, but we are not safe. We just know that when he makes a promise, he keeps it.”

“Oh,” Vera breathed. Her sister was in trouble?

“So, how did you do it?” Margot asked, leaning forward in her seat.

Vera was hesitant. Would it be wise to tell her sister the truth? She wasn't a practitioner and usually no outsider got to know their secrets and keep their memories. They had to make sure magic stayed safe, especially after what had happened with Praxis.

Still Vera trusted Margot. She hadn't seen her in decades but for some reason, she trusted her.

“Magic” she answered, even though she knew her sister would not believe it.

“I’m serious,” Margot replied, just as Vera had anticipated.

“So am I,” she continued.

She sat up straight in the chair, closed her eyes that were still red from all the crying, and cast, “ _Restituatur_.”

There was a small light, the skin around her eyes returned back to its normal color and the make-up that had gotten smeared all over her face was suddenly in place.

Margot stared at her in shock. “What the hell,” she muttered.

After that she picked up her glass, cast “ _Anaplerosi_ ,” and then offered the glass to Margot with a small smile. Her sister took it hesitantly and watched as the bourbon in the glass slowly filled to the brim. Vera stood up and walked over to her chair on the other side of the table and sat down.

“I’m the Grand Magus of the Hermetic Order of the Blue Rose,” she started explaining. “You’re currently sitting in the reliquary of the Belgrave Chapter,” she gestured around them.

“Reliquary?”

“A place where we store some of our magical artifacts and spell books.”

Margot continued to stare at her.

“There’s magic all around us. It’s in all of us, even in the air that we breathe,” Vera kept going. “There are different societies in the world making sure that the magical knowledge doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. The Hermetic Order of the Blue Rose is one of them.”

“And you’re the… Magus?” Margot managed to ask.

“ _Grand_ Magus,” Vera corrected her. It had become so automatic, since pretty much everyone in the Order had been belittling her for so long. Especially Kepler – _who was still missing_ , Vera noticed herself wondering.

“So, you don’t have to worry about me,” Vera continued, swiping some non-existent crumbs off the table. “Many people have tried to get rid of me and failed. Although I gotta admit being set on fire wasn’t fun.”

“You were set on fire?” Margot repeated, her gaze going up and down Vera’s body.

“My scars aren’t visible,” Vera admitted sadly when she realized Margot was confused. “One perk of having magic.”

“Oh,” her sister exhaled. She eyed the glass that was still in her hand, whirling it around a little, deep in thought. Then she took a sip of the drink and placed the glass back on the table.

“So, let’s do it,” she announced.

“What?” Vera asked again in surprise.

“The spell. I need it.”

Margot stood up and took her coat, ready to go, but Vera stopped her. “Wait a little!” she spoke, getting up as well. “You aren’t even a little surprised?” she asked, walking over to her.

“I’ve seen a lot of weird things happen in my life,” Margot explained, but then got serious again. “I need this to keep my family safe.”

“It’s not that simple,” Vera had to let her down. “There are multiple people involved. I can’t do a big spell like that alone. You need to bring your wife and your son to the Temple.”

“The Temple?”

Vera moved her hand and the doors to the alter room opened. She walked in, Margot following suit.

“This is where we perform our bigger incantations,” she gestured around herself. Her sister’s eyes roamed over the dark stone walls and the high ceiling, finally landing on the alter in the middle of the room. She took a few steps closer.

“I need a couple of my disciples to help me perform the spell," Vera told her.

She decided it was best not to mention that they were werewolves. It wasn’t something her sister necessarily needed to know right now. But Vera needed their magical strength and she trusted them. Well, most of them, anyway.

After Margot was done examining the alter room, Vera guided her to the antechamber and headed for the bar while her sister sat down on one of the bar stools. Vera took two glasses and was about to fill them when a hand suddenly took the bottle from her.

“My bar,” Hamish said, appearing beside her without warning and giving her a stern look.

Vera turned to look at him in surprise. “Hey! Give it back!" she ordered but Hamish held the bottle away from her reach.

“Shoo!” he tried but she wasn’t budging. She arched a brow and crossed her arms, trying to look intimidating, even though she knew it just amused him.

Like she had anticipated, Hamish just shrugged with a grin and continued making their drinks, offering the first one to Margot, who took it happily.

“So, I take it you were able to resolve your issues,” he commented and offered the other drink to Vera, who was still standing beside him. She took it but remembered to glare at him first.

“Yes, she promised to help me,” Margot answered with a small smile.

Vera nodded. “I need you at the Temple, tomorrow,” she told Hamish. “Around noon, I think. Bring Jack and Gabrielle. And Randall, too, if he can behave himself.” Lilith was still struggling with her demon abilities, so she wasn’t in the right head space to help them.

“Oh? We’re doing an incantation?” he asked, correctly guessing why the Knights had to be there.

“Something like that yes.”

Vera leaned on the bar, taking a sip of the cocktail Hamish had made her. She heard him ask Margot about her life and they started chatting, even though her sister was still a little hesitant. Margot had gone through a lot in her life and Vera was happy to see that she was doing a lot better now.

Vera herself felt happy, too, even though this was definitely not what she had imagined meeting her sister would be like. Honestly, Vera had feared her family for so long that she felt weird knowing she no longer had to be afraid.

That is until she heard Hamish ask that one terrifying question.

“So, tell me, what was Vera like as a kid?”


	4. Yes, Grand Magus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naturally, I do not speak any Latin so my good friend Google Translate helped me with this chapter.

“This is so freaky.”

Randall was crouched in front of Margot, studying her.

They had been summoned to the Temple by Vera, and the first thing he had seen when he had entered the antechamber was another, maybe slightly younger version of the woman, sitting there with two other strangers. To say he had been taken aback was an understatement.

“Don’t be weird,” Jack told him, pulling him up.

“But it is freaky!” Randall protested, gesturing to the woman who looked exactly like their Grand Magus.

Margot sent him a glare but didn’t say anything. She was sitting on one of the couches in the antechamber next to her son and wife – who had a confused expression on her face when she leaned closer to her to whisper, “What is happening?”

“Trust me,” Margot answered quietly, taking a hold of her hand and squeezing it. Telling your wife to come with you to a secret underground Temple to do magic hadn’t felt like the best idea, so she had kept the details to a minimum.

“Mr. Carpio! Mr. Morton!” Vera stepped into the antechamber. She was putting on her robe and tossed her long, dark hair over her shoulders to cascade over her back. “Don’t harass my sister.”

“Yes, Grand Magus,” Jack bowed sarcastically, receiving an eye roll from Vera. Randall snickered next to him.

“Get your robes and go help Gabrielle,” she ordered, dismissing the two rascals. The two wolves scurried away, teasing and playfully hitting each other the whole way to the alter room.

“Just like little kids,” Vera muttered once the doors to the alter room were closed. She straightened her robe and walked closer to Margot who stood up, pulling her wife up with her.

“Vera Stone,” she introduced herself, offering her hand to Margot’s wife.

“Alana Bloom”, the dark-haired woman answered, wide-eyed, her gaze moving from Vera to Margot.

“You didn’t tell her, did you?” Vera asked her sister, who was looking sheepish.

“I did say we’re sisters,” Margot replied. “And that we look quite similar.”

“Quite?” Alana echoed, still staring at Vera.

“Don’t worry, I had the same reaction,” Hamish appeared beside Vera with a tray filled with cocktails. “Drinks?” he asked.

“Yes, please,” Vera answered immediately, grabbing one and taking a sip.

Alana was still a little hesitant, but Margot assured her his drinks were actually really good. They had spent a few hours together the day before, with Margot telling Hamish small bits about Vera’s childhood, and Hamish had acted as their bartender.

_“I can’t believe you had a pet rock collection!”_

_“I was 5!”_

After the women had taken their drinks, Hamish placed the tray on one of the side tables and returned to Vera’s side. He was already wearing his black robe, which made his shoulders look even wider than usual, and Vera noticed herself staring. Only when he cleared his throat a little, she turned back to Margot and Alana, the former of whom had a small smirk on her face.

“I’m going to need this so that I can tolerate your friends,” Vera told Hamish and gestured to the glass in her hand.

“They aren’t that bad,” Hamish defended them. “Just a little rough around the edges.” Sure, they were often making a mess, but they were trying their best.

Vera arched a brow. “I heard Randall comment that he was surprised I even had a family. He thought I had just spawned from hell or something.”

“Well… we all have space for improvement,” Hamish cringed. Lucky for the younger wolf that Hamish hadn’t been present when he had made that comment. Hamish – and Tundra especially – didn’t tolerate any harassment towards their mate.

“As I said, little kids,” Vera shrugged, taking another sip of her drink. “Speaking of kids, I take this little gentleman is your son?” she asked, pointing at the little boy still sitting on the couch.

“Yes,” Margot turned to him. “This is Morgan,” she said, ruffing his hair.

The boy in question was staring at Vera, looking a lot like Alana in that aspect.

“Mommy? That lady looks like you,” he tugged at Margot’s skirt.

“She does, doesn’t she?” Margot answered her son. “She’s mommy’s sister.”

At first it seemed that Morgan was struggling to understand, but then he shrugged in a childlike manner, clearly happy with the answer. “Cool. Can I have a sister, too?”

Both Margot and Alana turned to look at him in shock while Vera and Hamish both snorted out loud. Hamish was able to mask his laughter with a fake cough, but Vera was actually grinning.

“We can… talk about that later,” Alana was able to answer.

“So, how are we going to do this?” Margot changed the topic, directing the question to Vera.

Vera straightened herself immediately, taking on her Grand Magus persona. She gulped the rest of the drink she was still holding and then shoved the glass in Hamish's hand. “You have to come to the alter room where we’ll perform the incantation,” she told them.

She turned around, flicked her hand, and the double doors to the alter room opened. She heard a small gasp from behind her but continued her way inside.

Jack, Randall and Gabrielle were already there, standing in the middle of the room. Vera walked over to them, and asked, “Everything in order?”

“Yes, Grand Magus,” Gabrielle nodded.

“Good,” Vera answered, then turned around to face Margot and Alana. Margot was carrying Morgan and looked determined to get the spell done. Alana, on the other hand, was looking around with wide eyes, her gaze jumping from the room to the people in it.

“I need you to stand in the middle of the circle,” Vera instructed. “Randall and Gabrielle, you stand behind them. Hamish and Jack, you’ll be beside me.”

They all nodded, and Gabrielle repeated her “Yes, Grand Magus” once more.

Margot dragged Alana to their designated place in the middle of the circle and placed Morgan between them on the floor, taking a hold of his hand.

“What is this?” Alana hissed at her.

“They are making sure he’ll never find us,” Margot whispered back. “Trust me, I wouldn’t be doing this if I wasn’t sure.”

Vera fetched her skull mask from the reliquary and took her place in front of them. She asked for Hamish to hold the mask for a bit while she explained what they were going to do.

She brought out a pocketknife and held it in front of her. “I need for you to slice your palms,” she explained.

Alana gasped, “What?”

“Magic has a price, Mrs. Bloom,” Vera deadpanned. “In this case, your blood.”

Alana shook her head, but Margot just took the knife and sliced her right palm immediately. She grimaced a little but was able to mask the pain quickly.

She then offered the knife to Alana who took it but didn’t make a move to actually use it.

“You need to,” Margot pleaded.

“How do you know it’ll work?” Alana asked back.

“Because it worked with her,” Margot answered, pointing at Vera with her head. “I wasn’t able to find her for over 20 _years_.”

“Oh,” Alana breathed. She eyed the knife and then looked back at Margot, who was nodding.

She exhaled and then quickly sliced the skin of her left palm. She gritted her teeth at the pain but put on a brave face and offered the knife back to Vera.

Vera took it and Hamish gave her back her mask, which she put on, pulling up her hood in the process. The knights did the same and waited for her directions.

“Palms,” Vera’s voice ordered, muffled a little by the mask. “And hold his hands," she pointed at their son.

Margot and Alana did what was told and placed their hands on top of Vera’s.

“ _Protegatur domus hic_ ,” she casted. “ _In saecula saeculorum_.”

“ _Protegatur domus hic in saecula saeculorum_ ,” the knights echoed after her.

“ _Malum, non veniet_ ,” she finished the spell, and waited for a moment. First nothing happened, but then the candles in the room flickered and a small breeze moved around the room, before disappearing.

Vera was still holding Margot’s and Alana’s hands so she casted a fast _Restituatur_ spell and watched as the wounds on their palms glowed and healed themselves.

“Did it work?” Margot asked immediately afterwards, pulling her hand back and examining it.

Vera took off her mask and moved her hair out of her face.

“Yes,” she answered with a small sly grin.

A big smile rose on Margot’s face and she stepped forward to engulf her sister in a big hug.

“Thank you!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still a small epilogue to come!


	5. Goodbye

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had some problems with my English while writing this chapter. I hope my non-nativeness doesn't show up too much :D

“I guess this is goodbye?”

They were standing outside, in front of the abandoned house that hid an entrance to the Temple, just a few hours after Vera had performed the spell to keep Margot and her family safe from any threats.

Alana was standing next to Margot, holding a sleepy Morgan in her arms, while they faced Vera and Hamish.

“If you want it to be,” Vera answered.

“But would you be able to find me? I didn’t find you,” Margot reminded her.

“I did some modifications to the spell,” Vera admitted. “No one who wants to hurt you should be able to find you,” she explained. It might have been a little selfish on her part but now that she had her sister back, she didn’t want to let go of her completely. But of course, she wouldn’t admit that out loud.

“Oh, thank you,” Margot smiled. She at least seemed happy at the news.

“Do you know where you’re going yet?” Vera inquired.

“No, not yet, but we were thinking Europe,” Alana spoke up.

Vera nodded and turned to look at Hamish with a sad smile on her face. He produced a small pouch from his pocket and handed it to her. He then moved to stand next to Alana, who was looking at him suspiciously.

“I’m sorry I have to do this,” Vera sighed, before she blew the white powder on Alana’s and Morgan’s faces, watching as they fell into Hamish’s arms.

Margot let out a small scream, “What are you doing?” she cried.

She rushed to her wife and son, who Hamish gently laid down on the ground.

“They are fine,” Vera assured her. “They are just sleeping.”

She pulled Margot up, giving Hamish some space to whisper in their ears.

“Your names are Alana Bloom and Morgan Verger. You have never seen or heard of the Hermetic Order of the Blue Rose or its practices. You are at Belgrave visiting Margot’s sister Vera before you leave the country.”

Margot looked at Vera in shock.

“It’s just _pulvis memoriae,_ ” Vera began. “It’s necessary to keep the Order a secret. I’m not wiping your memories because I trust you not to say anything. I also realize you need to keep your memories to know you’re safe.”

“But- I- What?” Margot stammered.

“They really are fine. They just won’t remember the Order or magic.”

Margot’s gaze jumped between her sister and her wife. “But I need to tell them something.”

“You have to come up with a lie,” Vera told her. “This is how my world works. Sometimes you must lie and make tough decisions. But I guess you already know that.”

Margot only nodded in response.

Alana and Morgan started to stir and Hamish and Margot both helped them up. Hamish told Alana she tripped and fell, which of course made her start apologizing. Margot assured her they were okay, and it wasn’t her fault.

Vera watched them, this time feeling a little guilty. Usually she didn’t mind wiping people’s memories. It was a necessity. The less people knew about magic the better. That was why she had made the decision to only let her sister know. Life was unfair that way.

They walked together to Margot and Alana’s car and Hamish helped Alana get the sleepy boy in his car seat, letting Vera and Margot talk privately.

“Thank you, again,” Margot said, giving her a small smile. “I don’t know if I can ever repay you.”

“Just keep yourself and your family safe,” Vera smiled back at her. “And if you ever need my help, just ask. I now have a way to get to you in a heartbeat.”

“You can _teleport_?” Margot whispered in surprise.

“Kind of?” Vera laughed. “Nothing is that simple here.” The Cretian loom was now in their possession but they still hadn’t tried to cross the world with it. The potential apocalypse was still too fresh in their minds. But if it ever came down to it, Vera wouldn’t hesitate to try. The previous two days had shown her that she still cared a lot about her sister, even though they had been apart for so long.

“One day you have to tell me how this became your life,” Margot shook her head in disbelief.

The two sisters stood to the side, watching their significant others chat by the car. A psychiatrist and a philosopher, who would have thought?

“One day,” Vera nodded. “And you have to tell me the real reason why you’re running. Magic won’t always save your life.”

“I will, one day. Right now, it’s just better we leave.”

“To keep your family safe,” Vera agreed. The need to keep people safe was something she understood.

“I was wrong, you know,” Margot suddenly admitted.

Vera turned to face her. “About what?”

“You do have a family,” Margot replied. “Your children are just a little older.”

“Ha!” Vera laughed, shaking her head. She had to admit being around the younger knights often made her feel like a parent taking care of a bunch of stupid kids. She also did have a soft spot for Jack, but thinking of herself as a mother still hurt. The pain was always there.

“My daughter would have been their age.”

It was a puzzling thought. Where would she be if her daughter had stayed alive? Probably not leading a secret magical society and making sure a pack of werewolves stayed alive.

Margot nodded. “Exactly. Maybe the universe is giving you another change. I got mine so why shouldn't you? And you’re still young,” she added, smirking. She then made her way back to her wife and son.

“I’m not having a baby!” Vera sputtered after her, loud enough for Hamish to hear and turn to look at her.

“What?” he mouthed.

“Nothing,” Vera mouthed back, taking a deep breath. She walked over to him, watching as Margot and Alana got in the car. They said their last goodbyes and Vera reminded them to drive safe.

She stood by the parking lot for a while after their car was no longer visible.

Hamish appeared beside her, watching as many different emotions crossed her beautiful face.

“Come here,” he said and pulled her into a hug. This time she went willingly.

“What just happened?” Vera asked, her head buried in his shirt.

“You got closure,” Hamish answered and placed a kiss on her hair.

“I don’t know how to feel,” she admitted. She was mentally exhausted. She had gone through so many emotions in the last two days that she felt completely overwhelmed by them. At first, she hadn’t wanted to have anything to do with her sister and now she was already missing her.

“That’s okay. You don’t have to know right now.”

Margot had been able to awaken feelings in her she hadn’t felt in decades. And some of them were frightening her. Was it really too late for her to have her own family? Or had she just made that up?

“Are you ready to go back to the Temple?” Hamish asked after a moment, pulling away from the hug.

“Yeah, I think so,” Vera nodded. “We did leave the rest of the knights on their own."

“Yes, we did, and I feel they are about to do something stupid.”

Vera looked up at him. “What do you mean?”

Hamish grimaced. “Randall wants to help Lilith with her demon problem.”

“Oh no no no! We are not doing any demon related spells! Never again!”

The last couple of times had been disasters and no-one needed a rematch.

“Then I suggest you go tell them that,” Hamish grinned. “Grand Magus.”

Vera looked at him with one eyebrow raised, amusement written all over her face. She then straightened herself, tossed her hair back, and started to strut towards the Temple.

She was the boss and she was going to make sure everyone knew it.

Even her family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, that's that! I might write more one shots in this universe if people are interested :)


End file.
